Multimedia messaging service (MMS) is conceived as an evolution of the popular short messaging service (SMS) that is provided by many cellular telephone operators. In MMS, a user or a content provider may transmit to a recipient, or to a plurality of recipients, messages with rich content such as video, audio, stills images and text; SMS is typically limited to text.
Demonstrations of creation and use of MMS messages are found at the following web sites: www.alatto3g.com/mmsdemo/alatto/composer.jsp; and www.internexium com/demo.htm. Typically, MMS messages are expected to include some form of Digital Rights Management (DRM) as mentioned in a press release dated 7 Apr. 2003 at www.3G.co.uk which is entitled “MMS Wireless Will Lack Real Content”. DRM is required in order to avoid re-distribution of MMS messages by users without appropriate authorization from composers/creators of the MMS messages.
Some aspects of technologies and related art that may be useful in understanding the present invention are described in the following publications:
European patent application EP 1113631, which describes method and device for integrated multimedia messaging service;
Published PCT patent application WO 01/33781, which describes a method for implementing a multimedia messaging service, a multimedia messaging system, a server of a multimedia messaging system and a multimedia terminal;
Published PCT patent application WO 01/33782, which describes a method for implementing a multimedia messaging service between a terminal that communicates with a network over a radio path and a server;
Published PCT patent application WO 03/053092, which describes apparatus and method for offering event image mail service using multimedia messaging service;
European patent application EP 1271970, which describes methods, devices and software programs for processing and/or evaluating Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages; and
European patent application EP 1255416, which describes method and medium for storing and accessing MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) information.
The disclosures of all references mentioned above and throughout the present specification, as well as the disclosures of all references mentioned in those references, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.